VitaMix

I make a smoothie almost everyday, it is my usual post training meal. I use 1 1/2 scoops whey protein, glutamine, BCAA's, creatine and a very small frozen banana (along with ice and water). 

I have cursed my regular blender for ages, it did the job but took forever and made a mess. I researched and decided I needed a Vitamix. It made sense, they are the best and can be used for many other things, but the cost was way too much. I mean $500.00? seriously folks, that's a lot of smoothies!

I looked on Ebay, I looked on Craigslist, nothing. 

Then the auction, remember - the gym in Santa Cruz that closed? I got the VitaMix! Many experts will say the best meal to ingest immediately post training is easily absorbed protein (whey) and fast acting carbs (the banana). I add the other things as these are regular supplements I take pre and post training.

I am struggling with the lid, it certainly seals well. David says "use those muscles!" This is my inaugural smoothie, David said to drink it straight out of the container. "Chug, Chug, Chug, Chug!"

I'm happy, this will make life so much easier. I no longer need to pick little red pieces of plastic out of my drink. Oh, I didn't mention that?  See, the ice and frozen banana kept getting stuck, so I would push them down with my spatula, and it would get stuck in the blade and every week it would look more and more cut up.

This even has a mark with permanent marker from Dave Draper's place! I know just where to fill it up with ice and water now. 

If you ever get a chance to get one of these at an auction, garage sale, estate sale, or you just happen to have an extra $500.00 burning a hole in your pocket, I would highly recommend buying one!

Post Training Meal

When you eat is as important as what you eat, really. Post training the muscles are primed for nutrients, and you want carbs that are fast digesting to go straight to the waiting cells in those muscles.


Studies have shown that a combination of protein and carbs are best when you want to build muscle and repair tissue. You should have this within 45 minutes of training, the sooner the better. The "window" of opportunity for your muscles gets smaller and smaller the longer you wait.


I love my post training drink!


Now don't fall into what a lot of people do and that is have a fairly high calorie post training drink, then immediately have a big meal, the drink is your meal! And if you make it correctly, you will be satisfied.


My simple carbs are a banana, a small banana, about 6 inches long. I make sure they are the ripeness I like then I peel them and wrap them individually in plastic and freeze them. My freezer is full of white dead soldiers.

Then I make my drink by combining in a blender 1 1/2 cups water, a handful of ice, one frozen banana (I break it in a few pieces with my hands first) and I blend it well until all frozen bits are blended.

The protein is a blend I create myself, (see the small white container in the top photo). I add 1 1/2 scoops chocolate or chocolate peanut butter whey protein, 5 grams glutamine, 2 1/2 grams creatine (I took the other 2 1/2 grams pre training) and BCAA's. I make a bunch of these and keep them in my supplement box in the garage.


Now the rest may vary depending on when I am training. If I lifted in the morning on my own, I make the smoothie as described above then add the powdered mixture at home and drink it in the car as I drive to work.


If I am training with Roy after work, I make the smoothie as described above but I do not add the powdered mixture. I store the smoothie in my freezer in my office, turning it a couple times during the day, and after I finish training with Roy, I add the powdered mixture and shake it all up, and drink it in the car going home!

 So what's the dark stuff? My secret! I love coffee, I love mocha's but cannot drink them (milk) so in the mornings I will add some cold strong coffee or a heaping tablespoon of instant coffee to my smoothie and it becomes a chocolate-banana-coffee protein smoothie.


I love it!